Recipes For Kids To Eat

Grilled Cheese In The Oven

Here’s a way to make grilled cheese seem like a fancier dinner idea…try Grilled Cheese in the Oven! Its never fun to babysit a skillet while you make grilled cheese to order. Fire up your oven! Baked grilled cheese comes out melty and golden brown. Some ideas for kids? Add some thin sliced apples inside for a fun sweet and savory spin, or add a dollop of pesto.

Easy Weeknight Leftover Chicken Quesadillas

Quesadillas are such an underrated meal! Theyre simple, delicious, inexpensive, and are kid and adult-friendly. This recipe uses leftover or store-bought rotisserie chicken to simplify the meal and pairs it with our delicious 5-Ingredient Copycat Chipotle Burrito Sauce!

http://www.forkly.com/recipes/easy-weeknight-leftover-chicken-quesadillas/ PHOTOS AND RECIPE HERE: Forkly

Chicken Kabobs For Kids

The Spruce Eats / Loren Runion

Putting food on a stick somehow transforms the ingredients from ho-hum to fun. These chicken kabobs with vegetables get a nice sweet and tangy flavor from the marinade made of pineapple juice, soy sauce, and honey. Keep the kabob theme going and have the kids thread grapes, pineapple cubes, melon, and/or berries onto sticks to add to their lunchbox.

Also Check: The Dude White Russian Recipe

Easy Black Bean Chili

This black bean chili is a big hit with our 4 year old son and many of his friends. Its beyond simple to make, and the flavor is outstanding. Its got a hint of smokiness to highlight the tangy tomatoes and savory black beans. Top it with your favorite toppings, and its so hearty and savory, youll forget its healthy, too.

Creamy Potato Soup With Ham

The Spruce Eats / Katarina Zunic

This creamy potato soup with ham is like eating a stuffed baked potato in a bowl. Fill kids’ thermoses with this rich soup, whichalong with some crackersmakes an excellent school lunch on colder days. Chock full of vegetables and studded with chopped ham, the soup is a complete meal. You can cook either on the stovetop or in the slow cooker.

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Easy Pancakes From Scratch

Easy Pancakes from Scratch by Sweet Tea and Thyme

Lets start with the all-time breakfast favorite, shall we? If youve only used a boxed mix until now, youll be surprised at how simple it is to make pancakes from standard pantry ingredients. Even simpler: Sheet Pan Pancakes , which get cooked all at once and dont require flipping. Set out some peanut butter or almond butter to spread on top, if you like, to make these more filling.

Find Your Favorite Recipes

First up, find the best vegan recipes!

If youre like most parents, you might be worried that changing your familys diet will mean spending even more time in the kitchen than usual. Luckily, there are tons of vegan recipes for kids that require no time at all, and very little effort!

Make a list of your favorite vegan recipes, and keep them on hand for nights when you need a fast meal and dont have the time to scroll endlessly through Pinterest looking for inspiration. This will help cut down on meal-time frustration and show your kids that its possible to find fast, vegan friendly options if you know where to look.

Having 3-5 go-to recipes that you know your family likes will be a huge help to you, especially on days where youre in a pinch.

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How To Budget Family Meals

With thousands of families in the MOMables community, Ive had an opportunity to survey them on their spending habits and how to budget family meals better.

One of the main reasons families spend more at the grocery is due to lack of planning and purchasing foods my kid will eat as a plan b since Im making an adult meal and a kid meal at most meals.

Another reason is purchasing boxed, pre-packaged convenience foods that help save time -Im not talking about single bagged sliced apples and carrots here, Im referring to frozen kid sandwiches, freezer meals, snacks, frozen breakfast items and single-serving cereals, for example.

Save yourself hundreds of dollars at the store by making one meal for the whole family. With the Classic Meal Plan, you can easily budget family meals, spend less time in the kitchen cooking and cleaning, and dread mealtimes less.

Cheesy Baked Tortellini Casserole

Just a few simple and cheap ingredients to make this incredibly delicious pasta casserole with meat sauce! The cream cheese makes all the difference. This meal is incredibly filling and feeds a large family, but is just as good leftover for a few days so you can get several meals out of it.

Baked Tortellini Casserole Recipe & Instructions

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Healthy Eating Habits For Kids

There are a few reasons why I always encourage parents to make one meal for the whole family the top reason is that a variety of foods establishes healthy eating habits in our kids.

Mealtimes are not about pleasing our kids, they are about helping them get the nutrition their bodies need from a variety of foods and that can only happen when they get on our adult food plan, not the ready-made freezer meal and drive-through plan.

Speaking of plans, if you just dont have it in you to think about putting together a meal plan youre also not alone. Many of the families in our community .

A weeks worth of family-friendly recipes, a completed shopping list, and a done-for-you meal prep sheet to help you make it happen! Boom! The Classic Meal Plan might be exactly what you need to establish healthy eating habits on your kids too! Its what I use.

Homemade Mac And Cheese Bites

Mac and cheese isnt just kid-approved dinner its a super nostalgic meal I think we all crave on a weekly basis.

Unlike tomato sauce, which can be acidic and overpowering, mac and cheese is wonderfully creamy and mild in flavor.

When you make it in a muffin pan, the outer edges will turn golden and crispy, giving it an amazing texture and added taste.

Better still, you can so easily dress these up for the grown-ups if need be. How about topping them with pulled pork?

If youve ever been to a party with kids, you know that they tend to all converge around the potato chips and pretzels.

You probably also know that most parents dont want their kids eating deep-fried snacks all night.

Instead, these potato chips are baked. Theyre still lovely and crunchy, but theyre so much healthier.

Keep it simple with salt and pepper, or try out these popcorn seasonings for something extra special.

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Have you ever watched a kid with a paper plate balanced precariously on their lap as they happily munch on snacks?

It can be super stressful waiting for it to topple over.

Thats why these taco dip cups are so genius! The dip is contained and more or less spill-free.

Plus, you wont have to worry about sticky fingers double-dipping in the bowl.

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Kid Friendly Dinner Recipes: Updated Classics

These classic dishes may sound familiar, but weve upped their flavor, healthfulness, and kid-approvedness in a big way.

• Whats crunchy and juicy and keto all over? These Baked Pecan Chicken Tenders, thats what! Serve them with a side of homemade buttermilk ranch and your kids just might think theyve died and gone to heaven.
• This Turkey Quinoa Meatloaf is protein packed and full of lots of veggies. And the best part? Your kids will never know just how healthy it is.muhahahaha!
• These Steak Bites with Sweet Potatoes are perfectly sized for little mouths and, as an added bonus, are paleo-friendly! Healthy and delicious is something we can all get behind.
• Everyone loves a juicy cheeseburger and we think our Classic Cheeseburger with Secret Sauce is the best!

Homemade White Castle Burgers Copycat Recipe

White Castle burgers are among some of the most beloved comfort foods that are nearly impossible to find sold at restaurants in most areas.

The good news is that you can make your own castle burgers at home without having to settle for the frozen version or going on some wacky Hollywood odyssey with a friend.

This recipe brings together all your favorite ingredients, such as diced onion and pickles.

And the way its cooked might surprise you.

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Sloppy Joe French Bread

Another family friendly ground beef recipe! If you like sloppy joes, youve got to try making it opened face on toasted french bread. Its so much better! The cheese gets all toasted, plus I like the smaller serving sizes so everyone gets just the right amount.

Sloppy Joe French Bread Recipe & Instructions

Pasta Salad With Chicken And Spinach

The Spruce Eats / Eric Kleinberg

Send yours to school with this packed pasta salad full of chicken, spinach, tomatoes, and other crunchy veggies. Use cooked leftover chicken, canned chicken, or rotisserie chicken for this tasty salad recipe. The recipe is very forgiving, so feel free to change some of the ingredients to suit your child’s taste.

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Quick And Easy Tuna Tacos

The Spruce

Do something different on taco night, with this yummy tuna taco recipe. Toss budget-friendly canned tuna with chopped onion and cilantro in a creamy lime-infused mayonnaise dressing. Load into corn tortillas for a zesty, easy-to-make dinner.

Healthier Oven Fried Chicken Tenders

Another great of our favorite healthy dinners for kids is this recipe for homemade Oven Fried Chicken Tenders.

Once again, you can save time and money by making these delicious tenders at home instead of picking up the frozen pre-cooked variety.

And with a couple of helpful tips, you can make your tenders extra crispy and juicy on the inside. Serve your tenders with some of their favorite sauces, such as BBQ, ranch, or honey mustard.

Read Also: Vegan Lunch Recipes For Beginners

Our Most Popular Family

We can all use a win in the kitchen every now and then, especially when it comes to being able to quickly prepare meals that our whole family will enjoy. With that in mind, weve taken the liberty of rounding up our top 30 kid-friendly recipes that will have everyone leaving the dinner table happy, healthy, and full-bellied. What more could you ask for?

Pizza Stuffed Crescent Rolls

But, Im sick of pizza, said no child throughout the history of humankind.

Its hard to imagine ever getting enough pizza, especially if youre a kid. And this delicious kid friendly recipe for Pizza Stuffed Crescent Rolls will save you lots of dough on ordering delivery or takeout pizza.

And youll likely never repurchase frozen pizza after tasting the savory meat and sauce inside a buttery, flaky crescent roll for the first time.

Not only is this recipe a snap to make, but these rolls are also bite-sized and make less of a mess.

Perfect for dipping in tomato sauce.

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Vegan Hummus Avocado Wrap

The Spruce Eats / Eric Kleinberg

Use ripe avocado or even leftover guacamole, and protein-rich hummus to make these vegan hummus avocado wraps. Add some sprouts or salad greens for crunch, but if sending to school, leave out the tomato to avoid sogginess. Plain hummus is delicious here, but a flavored variety, like roasted red pepper, will also work nicely.

Easy Chicken French Bread Pizza

It’s fun and easy to assemble pizzas using leftover rotisserie chicken on French bread. Your child will learn what to do with leftovers and reduce food waste. Get creative with the vegetables you add to teach more about enjoying food variety. You can enjoy this easy chicken French bread pizza for lunch, a snack or dinner.

Also Check: Blender Recipes For Weight Loss

How To Get Kids To Eat Healthier

Parents always want to know how to get kids to eat healthier. Ive already mentioned that if you want your kids to eat healthier, youll actually have to cook a variety of foods all the time -not just get kids to try something once.

Here are some helpful tips to get kids to eat healthier:

• Set and keep a mealtime schedule

While my family and I love snacks, I limit them to once a day and no less than 2 hours before a meal. Constant snacking depletes the appetite, and your child can miss out on quality nutrition in eating a well-balanced meal at dinner which usually results on battles at the table.

• Clean the pantry

Out of sight, out of mind. If you keep chips, sodas, snack bars, and candy in the house, thats exactly what theyll reach for. The best way to avoid this? Get rid of it. Stop buying it.

Many parents tell me that all their kid eats is cereal, pb& j, mac and cheese, and chicken nuggets. I always reply with what would happen if you stopped buying those things? I assure you that their world will not end.

Many of these foods have added sugars which create a craving for more sugar! If you want to kid to eat healthier, get rid of it.

• Restock your pantry and fridge with better ingredients.

Replace items like chips with whole grain crackers, banana chips, or plantain chips to serve with hummus or guacamole.

Items like sliced apples, bananas, oranges are an easy item to grab and replace the convenient processed foods.

Muffin And Quick Bread Recipes For Lunch

One of my very favorite ways to get ahead for lunches is to rely on healthy muffins or quick bread as the main, then add simple sides like fruits and veggies, cheese, cottage cheese, yogurt, or even a smoothie to round things out.

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My Favorite Youtube Cooking Channels For Kids

THE BOW GIRLS: Adorable sisters Briena and Britney, not only make kid-friendly, colorful treats they also demonstrate savory recipes like homemade pizza, and healthy school lunches for school. Their videos feature slow paced, step-by-step demonstrations, so its easy for you and your kids to follow along.

CHARLIS CRAFTY KITCHEN: Another sister duo, this time from Australia. In addition to sweets, they also make healthier snacks, like fruit kabobs and real-fruit popsicles. Their videos are so popular, they were nominated for a Nickelodeon Kids Choice Award.

COOK WITH AMBER: This channel is especially relatable for older kids. And Amber features plenty of healthy recipe tutorials, like hummus and granola.

KID FOOD NATION: Being married to a Canadian, I had to give a shout out to this kids cooking channel. Not only do they feature fun, healthy recipes, like Oh Canada Oatmeal, their channel has plenty of cooking tutorials to help kids learn basic skills, like cutting onions and making hard boiled eggs.

Of course, if kids are going to cook, theyll need some simple, fun and delicious recipes. To get you started here are over 50 recipes that kids love to make and eat. Whether your child is a beginner in the kitchen, or a bit more of an advance chef, theyre sure to find a great tasty new recipe to try.

Get Dinner On The Table Fast With Our Kid

The Spruce

Coming up with kid-friendly dinner ideas that are quick and easy to make is an ongoing challenge for most parents. You need recipes that get meals on the table fast and that kids will enjoy eating. We’ve rounded up our best, kid-approved dinner ideas for busy parents that will help you check all those boxes, without all the additives found in take-out and frozen foods.

These awesome family dinner recipes include simple, homemade versions of kids’ menu classics, such as macaroni and cheese, chicken nuggets, fish and chips, pizza, spaghetti and meatballs, chili, and quesadillas. We’ve also included family favorite recipes that make great weeknight meals, including pasta dishes, stir-fries, tacos, and hearty baked casseroles.

Also Check: High Protein Vegetarian Slow Cooker Recipes

Bacon Cheeseburger Tater Tot Casserole

Tater tots are another staple kids food thats easy to make.

Now, this is one recipe that youll definitely want to use premade tater tots to save time as homemade versions can take between 30 and 40 minutes just to make by themselves.

Once you have all your ingredients, youll just need to cook your ground beef and then mix it with all your ingredients.

After that, put it in the pan and let it bake.

Once you pull this dish out, the fragrant smells are bound to get everyone excited about dinner.